Sir, – In your report on the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council meeting of Monday, November 13th, you attribute remarks to me about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that I did not make (“Dún Laoghaire council votes to support boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel”, News, November 13th).
Rather than highlighting links to Hamas, I explained that the association of BDS with the “one-state solution” makes it an unhelpful strategy towards peace. This is a position I share with the long-time advocate of Palestinian rights Norman Finkelstein. He has argued that BDS is disingenuous in focusing on international law without international law’s recognition of Israel’s existence.
While BDS is aimed at justice, it is perceived as an existential threat to Israel’s legitimacy, contributing to a sense of insecurity which may drive further violence.
Justice remains paramount. We can recognise the legitimacy of a state and at the same time deplore its actions. All those responsible for breaches of international law and human rights, whether state or non-state actors, must be held to account.
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We have learned in Ireland that peace requires the equal and mutual recognition of the identities and aspirations of both sides. Let us hope for an eventual accommodation which allows the Palestinians and Israeli peoples to live side by side in security and freedom. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DANIEL DUNNE,
Dún Laoghaire
Rathdown County Council,
County Hall,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.